Maps, world-views and neutrality: squaring the circle?

Pint of Science 2025 | Dirty Duck, Coventry

Carlos Cámara-Menoyo | Timothy Monteath

Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies (University of Warwick)

Carlos Cámara

Carlos Cámara-Menoyo

Senior Research Software Engineer

@ccamara.scholar.social

@ccamara.scholar.social.ap.brid.gy

Timothy Monteath

Timothy Monteath

Assistant Professor

Timothy.monteath@warwick.ac.uk

@twm.mastodon.sdf.org

@twm.bsky.social

Are maps objective?

Map-making

How are maps made?

1. Positioning data

Picture or diagram of satellites or

This is what Geodesy does. Focus is on mathematical foundation (coordinates, Earth’s shape).

Keywords: precision, geolocation, GPS, LIDAR, coordinates system…

2. Displaying data Find an image

This is what Cartography does. Focus is on data visualisation.

Keywords: projections, shapes, size, colour…

Who makes maps?

Companies

Motivation: business model.

  • Google, Microsoft, Apple…
  • NASA
  • ESRI, Carto
  • …

Specific, detailed maps, related to their business model.

Governments

Motivation: public service

Official maps

  • Landsat
  • Ordnance Survey

Individuals!

Motivation: diverse Coverage and precision: diverse

  • OpenStreetMap

Are maps objective?

Each map involves a series of decisions that are anything but objective:

Are maps objective?

Each map involves a series of decisions that are anything but objective:

What is included (and what is not!)

If we were to add everything in a map, it would be as complex as the Earth, and therefore not useful. -> Thematic maps

Some maps from the same region, i.e. from Google, OSM, Apple, Ordnance Survey…?

Projections

Orientation

Centre

Maps and Power

These decisions have implications:

  • used to exert power

  • to exclude / include

Our research

Can Digital Goods Be Neutral? Evaluating OpenStreetMap’s equity through participatory data visualisation

Motivation

Use data visualisations to understand whether these decisions had a positive or negative impact in under-represented communities.

OSM

We’ve mentioned already OSM. OSM is great.

asdf

Render map(s)

Photo with di

What?

  • Is OSM as neutral as it claims to be?
  • How is the notion of neutrality being implemented? How is it affecting other, underrepresented demographics?
  • Are there

How?

Participatory research: teaming with geochicas and workshops

Co-design visualisation

Image of the dashboard

Workshop on alternative cartography

You are invited!

link:

ADD SLIDES’ URL!!!!